The Final Line

2011-08-08T10:13:00.000-07:00

So I arrived to teach my design class on Friday and this was waiting for me on my desktop.

Of course it was such a funny image I couldn't resist having a go at it. Here is as far as I got with it that day...

Of course I learned something new that day. Apparently in France Mr. T is know as the 'Barracuda' and not Mr. T. Hence the fish reference.

Who knew?

Maximum Barbie

2011-06-01T19:29:00.000-07:00

I think this needs no explanation.

Time Machine

2011-05-26T13:30:00.000-07:00

Just found! Top secret NASA Time Machine design. It looks pretty genuine.

Art Jumble - Friday Nights With Thor

2011-05-20T15:16:00.000-07:00

Spaceman

2011-05-10T09:05:00.000-07:00

Another work drawing jam.

2011-04-26T08:11:00.000-07:00

A work in progress.

21 Journeys

2011-03-14T07:32:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to be invited to participate in a comics anthology this spring. Somehow I managed to fit in the time to get a piece finished. '21 Journeys' is going to print soon and the art work looks great. Check it out!
21 Journeys

Roach vs. Roach

2011-03-11T17:02:00.000-08:00

A quick sketch to end the week. Hero and villains was the theme. Here we have two cockroaches in an epic battle of microscopic and inconsequential proportions. I'll finish a color of it if I get the chance.

2011-03-02T20:58:00.000-08:00

An updated color version of an earlier post.

Austyn

2011-02-23T21:34:00.000-08:00

2010-10-05T09:59:00.000-07:00

Just having some fun drawing trucks. Wanted to see if I could come up with some nice textury (is that a word?) colors so it didn't look too digital.

Earth Day 2010

2010-04-28T08:16:00.000-07:00

An attempt at humour. It was too late to post this on Art Jumble, so it only gets shown here. Just a quick color sketch done in Photoshop.

When I was 17...

2010-04-09T08:52:00.000-07:00

Did this for Art Jumble this week. The subject; When I was 17...Good memories! For those f you who care, that's a 1973 MGB I'm driving. I still miss that car.

2010-01-07T20:31:00.000-08:00

Lots of talk in the news lately about 'random security checks' being racially motivated and the whole 'Full Body Scan' thing. Putting the two together seemed to make the most sense.

Merry Christmas 2009!

2009-12-17T14:28:00.000-08:00

Have a great Christmas!

Adler

2009-11-20T21:13:00.000-08:00

Shark girl

2009-11-20T10:32:00.000-08:00

My very first mermaid. Actually it's more of a shark girl. Is that obvious? If it's not, then the whole joke is wasted.

2009-10-30T14:49:00.000-07:00

A few more sketches I did for Art Jumble this last week. I've been enjoying the topics lately!

2009-10-15T21:56:00.000-07:00

I did this for Art Jumble this week. The theme is create your own Jedi. I don't know what her name is but I like to think of her as a Jedi Academy dropout. Jaded by 'the system' and that whole 'Leia thing', she's hit rock bottom at the Mos Eisley Cantina. I think she becomes a bounty hunter, though a poor one as few people live very long after she's caught them. Long bouts with the bottle, extreme depression and bad hearing make her one Jedi you don't want on your tail.

2009-01-20T15:43:00.000-08:00

Inspired by a show I am currently working on, I did this little cartoon.

2009-01-12T13:23:00.000-08:00

Well this is a bit late in posting, but it took a long time to do, so why let it go to waste...It doubled as a company card and my personal Christmas greeting. Enjoy!

2008-12-03T13:55:00.000-08:00

Just did this for Art Jumble this week. I believe that officially the character Salacious B. Crumb died in the explosion of Jabba the Hut's sail barge. However rumor has it that his death happened shortly before the explosion and seconds after this unfortunate laps in judgment.

2008-12-01T16:06:00.000-08:00

Just a quick sketch I did for Art Jumble.

Portfolio

2008-11-06T21:54:00.000-08:00

2008-07-28T10:13:00.000-07:00

These are unused designs from a show I worked on this last spring. Apparently I was expected to be a mind reader and know that the director wanted something different from what the script called for. Thus I had to redo the backgrounds. Gotta love it when Directors are like that.

I will be enrolling in Psychic Reading 101 at the local college this fall.

Mom's

2008-03-13T09:29:00.001-07:00

Just thought I'd post some quick sketches I did for a project. I think I managed to get most of the common stereo-types for mothers. (1) Career mom, (2) Mini van mom, (3) Yuppie mom, (4) M.E.C. mom, (5) 1950's house mom.

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-02-26T11:55:00.001-08:00

2008-01-02T09:49:00.001-08:00

Just for the sake of posting, here are some concept designs I recently did.

2007-10-21T17:43:00.000-07:00

A sketch I've never gotten around to finishing. Inspired by a pin-up poster from the 50's.

2007-08-27T12:48:00.001-07:00

Just a little number that I did this morning. Influenced by the amazing concept work of Myron Born.

2007-08-23T10:17:00.000-07:00

Just having some fun doodling and came up with this. Thought I'd try some color with it. Not too sure how readable the font is, but for now it's OK.

2007-08-18T19:05:00.001-07:00

Some development work I did for a pitch, which alas, has not gone very far. It was fun to do though, and hopefully something will happen with it farther down the road. Characters are not my speciality, however I am pleased with how these ones turned out. They could do with a bit of refining though. I'll have to revisit them when I have more time.

2007-07-25T09:02:00.000-07:00

First of all, let me say that this is NOT my artwork. No matter how brilliant or awful you think it is, I didn't do it...Having said that, it was done by one of my colleagues here at the studio. Apparently there is a Simpson website that allows you to create your own character, and this is one that they made...of me...They say the resemblance is uncanny.

2007-07-03T15:47:00.001-07:00

Just toying with the idea of an animated Indiana Jones.

2007-06-18T16:26:00.000-07:00

In honor of Fathers Day I'm posting the cards I've done for my two fathers.

The top one is my father-in-law, Bert Voth. A man of adventure. At a time in life when most people are retired and fading away, he is working hard, traveling the globe and living on the edge. A true man of integrity, I am proud to be his son-in-law.

The bottom is my father, Barry Leboe. How can one person know so much?? It boggles the mind. The endless streams of knowledge and ability to survive whatever life throws his way has left me with a high standard to live up to. I wouldn't have it any other way.

2007-06-12T16:57:00.000-07:00

Because the world needs more pirates...and better pirate movies...

The Dining Room that wasn't...

2007-06-06T14:21:00.001-07:00

This is a design which was sent for revision. The client felt that this was too large a dining room. They wanted a much smaller, more intimate version. That's fine but I still liked this one more, and since the TV will never see it I thought I'd post it here! Looking back at it now, I think there is still more room for extra detailing, though if it were ever colored it may begin to look a bit messy. We will probably never know.

2007-05-17T17:40:00.000-07:00

My first ever Spiderman. Did this for the Drawingboard.org. Here Spidey shows us why we should all pay attention to the task at hand. A good lesson for all, including me. Which is why I will get back to work before I get into any more trouble...

2007-05-15T13:33:00.000-07:00

Talking with a colleague the other day, we were trying to come up with totally original ideas for shows, and this was the result. Quickly drawn, and hastily colored, it was a fun piece to do.

MIA

2007-05-02T16:13:00.000-07:00

Came across this design the other day. Unfortunately it never made into into a show. I've always liked it. It's the little detailing in the bottom left corner that makes this whole piece for me. The garbage bags, wagon etc, just seem to add a bit of life to it. Gives it that lived in feeling, like someone was just outside a moment ago.

2007-04-16T13:12:00.000-07:00

2007-04-04T11:05:00.000-07:00

Another one gone...Allen left us on Friday. So long Allen. Who will survive?? Who will win the million dollars??

Stay tuned...

Farewell...

2007-03-29T08:43:00.000-07:00

This week we bid farewell to another team member. Gone to another studio for big money, more responsibility and hopefully a little normalcy.

So long Ashley.

2007-03-22T07:35:00.000-07:00

Just a doodle of some co-workers who were rumoured to have a little package on the way. Turns out the rumours were false. Maybe I'll save it and resend it to them when the reports are true...

EE Valentines

2007-02-15T11:50:00.000-08:00

The Edgar and Ellen Valentines episode has now aired on television and so now I feel free to post a couple of the designs I did for it. I had allot of fun with each of these. For some strange reason I was unable to find a finalized color version of the cafe, which is too bad. Come to think of it, I've never seen a final color of it. I know it's in the show though, so it must exist. The lower design, the car, never made it. Unfortunately the sequence was cut, or lost somehow. Disappointing. Oh well. I had lots of fun designing it, and had wanted to see it animate. I'm sure I can sneak it in a future episode.

2007-01-06T17:25:00.000-08:00

A sketch I did for a friend a while ago. I'm admittedly not much of a character designer, however it was fun to do. I've always loved those Frank Frazetta paintings and old Pulp novel covers showing fantastic characters in life or death situations and this was an attempt to capture that feeling in my own style. Looking at it now I'd say she needs to either be more surprised at what is behind her, or angry at this guy for grabbing her thigh.

Viva Pet!

2006-12-15T09:52:00.000-08:00

Unless you know the show or read the books, this will be lost on you, however if you wish to understand, please read on. The blue thing is 'Pet', a character on the Edgar and Ellen series. He's a 6 tendriled, hairy 'thing' that is about the size of a cat. We had this script which called for Pet to swing from a chandalier while holding a damsel in distress. Considering his cat-like sizing, we weren't sure how to pull this off. That's when I was inspired to do this sketch. I'm not sure if it's a possibe solution to the problem, but it was sure fun to draw. Enjoy!

2006-11-25T11:51:00.000-08:00

I had wanted to publish something other than background designs, however since that is what my life is all about these days, that's about all I have to post right now. I also wanted to showoff the fantastic work that the color team here at Bardel has been doing with my designs. I've already published the Foyer (top) and the Greenhouse (bottom), and you can see my rough pencil sketches in some earlier postings. The Pumpkin Patch and the Secret Lab are new. It amazes me how much life color can add to a sketch. Unfortunately the martini glass in the Secret Lab was yet another victim of censorship, much like the dog in the Kitchen (see earlier posting). C'est la vie...

2006-11-05T13:43:00.000-08:00

Just thought I'd throw some different styling in for a bit of a change. These are some designs I did while working on 'Atomic Betty', season one. I think of all the backgrounds I did for that show these would have to be my favorite. I really like the farm one, though it did go through some revisions as the scene was to be set in the praries. Ooops. No mountains there I guess. I should learn to read the scripts better. Anywase, it was a great show to work on, and the style was always lots of fun. Quite a change from the intense detail of 'Edgar and Ellen'. I never did see the finished colors, I guess I will have to pick up the DVD's and watch carefully. Would someone let me know if they are out yet? Thanks...

2006-10-20T17:46:00.000-07:00

Apparently the Edgar and Ellen Halloween special has aired and so I am guessing I can post yet another design. This is their greenhouse. It has a nice feel to it. I think if I had to do it over I would make it even more overgrown. The color version, which I couldn't find to post, is beautiful! It was colored by the fantastically talented Didier Arpin. In the episode I think it really steals the show. He's just made it look that nice.

2006-10-05T17:05:00.000-07:00

Another design for Edgar and Ellen. This is their kitchen and I think it is my favorite piece, though the Greenhouse is pretty nice as well, if I do say so myself. Much to my delight the puppy in this design was never noticed by anyone and made it all the way to color before being spotted by the client. Of course I was made to remove him. People can be very narrow minded. It still makes me laugh! I find that my work comes under closer scrutiny now. I should have put a moose in there...

2006-10-02T18:04:00.000-07:00

Well, the first special in the Edgar and Ellen series aired earlier in September. Apparently it got great reviews and was very highly rated. I missed it of course. To busy getting my limbs frozen off in the ocean at Tofino. But I digress. It occurs to me that since the show has aired, I should be able to post some of the art-work I did for it. I don't know this for certain as I haven't asked anyone, however, if I don't ask then I guess no one can say no. Here's the foyer to the main characters house.

2006-09-18T09:37:00.000-07:00

After a few weeks of stress and frustration at work, I did this quick sketch and sent it around the studio. I was amazed at the response I got. Some people said they hadn't laughed so hard in a long time, while others called me at home to make sure I was ok, and some expressed concern about my mental state. Only the amzingly talented Keith Ingham called a revision on it. Looking back of course, he was right. The broken window marking my exit from the scene should have been done in silhouette. Rats. Next time I'll get it right.

Oh, and for those of you who are curious, I'm fine, and as soon as the voices in my head go away I'll be back to normal! Just kidding.

2006-09-12T16:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we bid farewell to John Shaw. He is one of the true greats in the animation production world and will be missed by all of us here at Bardel. Yeesh, I'm making it sound like he's dead or something! He's not dead, he's just moving on to other things, and we don't want him too.

Good luck John! Wherever you go , I hope you find an Ultimate league that's to your liking!

2006-08-29T13:48:00.000-07:00

Another caricature of a co-worker, another in-studio joke. She's the one on the right, if you're having trouble figuring it out.

2006-08-24T17:17:00.000-07:00

Just a few sketches of some people I work with. I realize that it's no fun looking at other people's inside jokes, and it's even worse trying to explain them, so just take them for what they are, drawings. The top is supposed to be the amazing colorist Didier Arpin, and the other is our girl from the north, Ashley Russell. If you know them I'll let you be the judge as to wether these bare a resemblence at all. I'm sure there will be more to come...

2006-08-05T09:24:00.000-07:00

These are a few designs I did for a Hot Wheels show. They are among my first attempts at organic concept design. The design in the middle has always been my favorite. I think it just has a great feeling about it. Of course the client chose the one on the top, which was naturally my least favorite one. Isn't that just the way it always is....

2006-07-25T22:08:00.000-07:00

This is a conceptual piece I did a while back. The idea was that this would be a run down 60's era hotel on the outskirts of town. I sketched it first then painted it up in Photoshop. I think it's not bad. I really wanted to capture that dry, desert type of feeling. The clouds are my favorite. Enjoy!

2006-07-17T14:12:00.000-07:00

For some reason I find beautiful girls hurting cute animals very funny. Would that be a 'juxtaposition'? Maybe it qualifies as irony. Hmmm...I'm not sure. I'll have to look up Dictionary.com in a minute. Anywase, enjoy!

2006-07-06T09:04:00.000-07:00

Awhile back I was asked to help with this design for a zombie . I'm not much of a character designer, however I did my best. I came up with several designs, some better than others. My big plan was to distract my Directors attention from my poor designs with some humor, so I slipped this piece in amongst the pile of sketches. I don't know if it worked or not, but he laughed, one of my designs was picked, and I still have my job. Not bad. I'll probably try it again...
Now that I look at it, it's not bad really. Maybe I should try coloring it.

2006-06-25T18:49:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine has been working on a series of childrens books. They are design to teach kids about body image and how to deal with being different. I created a few sketches for her. These pictures are for a story about a girl who is really tall for her age and the advantages/disdvantages that go along with that. It's a great idea and I hope the books find their way to a willing publisher.

As the main focus of this particular book was geared towards young girls, I was trying for a softer, almost watercolor-type pallette. By leaving the background with more subddued tones and adding splashes of color I hoped to draw the viewers attention to the main subject of each sketch. It's all pen work and colored in Photoshop.

2006-06-17T13:30:00.000-07:00

This is a piece I did in Photoshop. I don't feel it's finished yet, however I no longer have a computer powerful enough to handle the file. My six year-old PC just doesn't quite handle large files like this too well. I'm just learning how to paint in photoshop. Some of the artwork I see out there is amazing, so I know I still have a long way to go.

2006-06-12T16:33:00.000-07:00

We have this alley right behind the building I work in. For the most part it's empty except for the occasional pot smokers and street people rooting through the garbage. Today however we almost had a fight. 'Almost" is the key word here.
Now I'm not one to promote violence but, if your going to distract me and my fellow artists with yelling and the promise of a good fight, the least you could do is live up to the hype. These guys were lame. Some kicking and name calling. Just like little girls.
For a few precious moments my desk was the most popular spot in the studio, due to it's prime viewing space, and these guys wussed out and walked away. Now the glory is gone....sigh.
Of course I was faced with the moral dilema: call the cops, or take pictures with my cell phone....I'm so awful. So much for a blog about world peace....

2006-06-12T06:03:00.000-07:00

These are a few pieces I did as a test for a studio.

2006-06-05T10:40:00.000-07:00

2006-06-04T16:41:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what the purpose of this Blog is just yet. Till some actual higher purpose can be found (like changing the world), it will simply serve as a place to publish some of my artwork. Enjoy!